Drier



T. ORANEY.

(No Model.)

DRIER.

No. 525,758. Patented Sept. 11,- 1894.

Thumas' Crane 15 v 5.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

THOMAS CRANEY, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

DRIER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Fatent No. 525,758, dated September11, 1894.

Application filed February 23, 1894- Serial No. 501,118. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, THOMAS CRANEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bay City, 1n the county of Bay and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Driers, of which thefollowing Isa specification,reference being bad therein to theaccompanying drawings.

The invention is especially designed for drylng salt and similarcomminuted material but maybe used for drying any material.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of avertical series of rotating hollow screens and the construction of thefeeding devices from an upper screen to the next lower one, whereby theparholes or parts of the material are spread over the screen surfaces inthin layers at different points and in falling from the top to thebottom are held in this condition a considerable time during which theymay be subjected to upwardly passing air currents to thoroughly dry thesame.

i The invention further consists in the peculiar construction of therotating screens and of the deflectors or chutes arranged on thedischarge sides of the currents to carry the material from an upperscreen to the next lower one, these deflectors being vibrated by therotating screens and thereby acting as knockers to clean the meshes ofthe rotating screens, and further in the peculiar construction,arrangement and combination of the various parts, all as more fullyhereinafter described. In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation ofmy improved drier, showing the tower and the actuating devices forrotating the screens. Fig. 2 is a vertical, central sectiontherethrough. Fig. 3 is a vertical, central section through Fig. 2.

A is a tower inclosed, and having an open top.

B are ducts or pipes leading into the lower end thereof to admit heatedair from a blower or other source.

0 is a series of transverse shafts arranged centrally through the towerand provided at their ends with bevel gear wheels D, with which mesh thebevel pinions E on the exterior vertical shaft F which is driven fromany suitable source of power, these gear wheels andpinions being soarranged that every alternate shaft is rotated in the same direction,and the two series are rotated in opposite directions. Secured to eachof these shafts within the tower are the heads G which. are connectedtogether near the outer edge by means of cross-bars H forming a hollowopen drum upon which I secure a cover I of perforated material, such aswire cloth, thus making hollow screens which are secured to the rotatingshafts C. Preferably upon the exterior of the screens are secured thecrossbars or ribs J opposite the interior cross-bars H, being secured attheir ends to the heads. Upon the heads and preferably upon theperiphery I form a series of teeth L, as shown in Fig. 3.

M are chutes hinged below the discharge side of the rotating screens andhaving their free ends resting upon the heads of the screens, beingvibrated in the rotation ofthe.

screens by means of the teeth L. These chutesI preferably form of openwork, such as wire cloth or perforated sheet metal. the upper end of thetower is a suitable feed spout O delivering upon a feed apron or chuteP. At the lower end of the tower is a hopper Q into which the materialfalls and in the lower end of which is a conveyer Q for carrying thematerial laterally into the elevator R, by means of which itmay becarried to any desired point.

The parts being thus constructed their operation is as follows: Motionbeing given to the parts the screens will be rotated, the material willbe fed through the spout 0 upon the chute P and centrally upon the upperdrum, which turning, as indicated by the arrows, will carry the materialto the side, the material sliding over that section of the screen uponwhich it falls as it moves from its horizontal to its vertical position,and finally will fall from the drum upon the vibrating chute M. As therotating screen moves along in its motion after having discharged thematerial fromitssurface it will make a half revolution before freshmaterial is discharged upon it and during this half revolution it willbe constantly jarred by the vibration of the feed chute, therebythoroughly cleaning the meshes of the screen In addition to this some ofthe material will fall through the screen and work on the inslde whichwill tend further to keep the meshes from clogging. The material willthus take a zigzag course being carried slowly over each screen andchute successively until it reaches the bottom. It will thus be seenthat the material is spread in a thin layer over different points of therotating screen, and the chutes, and thus its fall through the towerwill be retarded so that it may be held suspended with the particlesseparated at all times, so that the air may reach all parts of it tothoroughly dry it.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a drier, a tower, a verticalseries of horizontally arranged rotating screens and chutes under thedischarge side of the screens to deflect the material upon the nextlower one, substantially as described.

2. In a drier, a tower, a vertical series of hollow screens and meansfor rotating the alternate screens in opposite directions, and chutesunder the discharge side of the rotating screens to deflect the materialfrom the upper screen upon the next lower one, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a drier, a tower, a vertical series of hollow rotating screens,and vibrating screens, forming chutes under the discharge side of therotating screens to feed the material discharged from an upper upon alower screen, substantially as described.

4. In a drier, the combination of a tower, a series of transverse drivenshafts therein, cylindrical screens secured to the shafts, and eachconsisting of heads, connecting strips H and J between the heads, a wirescreen secured to the heads between the strips, the teeth L on theheads, and the screen chutes M hinged to the side of the tower upon thedischarge side of the drums and resting with their free ends upon thenotched heads, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony wh ereof Iaifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CRANEY.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, O. F. BARTHEL.

